Clamping and platform-locking mechanism



Feb. 24, 1931. E. H. KIDDER CLAlviIINGr AND PLATFORM LOCKING MECHANISM Filed April 29. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 24, 1931. E. H. KIDDER' CLAMPING AND PLATFORM LOCKING mncrmuxsm Filed April 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb; 24, 1931. E. H. KID'DER 1,793,622

CLAMPING AND PLATFORM LOCKING MECHANISM Filed April 29. 1929 :5 Sheets-Sheet s v Patented Feb. 24,- 71931 'NIVTEEDTZSTATESJ rareu gf E mwm n2. xrnnnnp or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; nssien'on; r6 L iv -nELTi coivr eANY; on

emons-0, ILLINOiS, A con-ronnrio vbn L nvOIs I oLAMrIner nn, rae mrie dzim M'EYCHANIISYM" Appircation filed April as,

Thisinvention relates to a p'latformjlo'ck for car dumpers or unloaders. It ha s f'or one object to provide an automatic lock' which willhold thecar dumper against accidental displacement when the clamps are in their withdrawn ordepressed position. Another object is to provide such a lock'which' is alutomatic in response'to' movement of other. parts of the carrying and dumping assembly; Another object is to provide suchan end locking device which will automatically lock; and unlock the ends of the car supporting platform in response to the movement of the car engaging members such a's'clamps. Other objects will appearfrom time to time in the course of the specification andclaims. I

he invention is illustrated more-or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein: V

Figure 1 is a'vertical cross section showing the car dumping mechanism generally in elevation;

Figure' 2 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken ona reduced scale at line 2-2 5 of Figure 4 and showing in addition the end clamp and some of the associatedparts; V

' Figure 3 is a-detailed-elevational view on" an enlarged scale with parts broken away and parts in section showing one of the locks;

Figure L is a. transverse verticalcross sec ti'on taken on line j t-4c ofFigure- 3 j Figure 5 is a-transverse vertical cross sec-v tion taken on line 5,,5 of'Figure 3';

Figure 6 is a longitudinal horizontal cross section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Like parts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

A indicates generally walls and foundations which define and inclose a pit A within which the dumping mechanism is mounted. j

B is a cradle carried 011 pairs of" wheels Bwhich are themselves pivotally supported in frame membersiB which are pivotally supported as at B upon foundations B. The'cradle is given an endwise tipping movement by'means of a cable B which is attached to the cradle at either end as at B, B and is driven by a rotating'or driving assembly B; B is a solenoid brake mechanism which holds the cradle in any dumped position;

1929- seen n 358,863.

Theseiparts Will not be further described-as platform C is ,positioned and movably supported upon the :,cradle.

mechanism. .It is adapted to carry r'ailsC upon which a/caraC may ,besupported'; The

car platform is positioned within the cradle I assembly for relatively side-wisetilting movement. :It; is supportedin the assembly upon bearings C C3 and is a'dapted to be tilted by am'echanism indicated generallyat G The details ofthis mechanism form no par,-' ticular part of. the present invention asthe I lock of thehinvention can lbe'a'pplied to-the mechanism. no matter what. the particular form of side-tipping arrangement. C C are end supporting posts carried upon fofune dations C C These supporting-posts are preferably arranged on the :side opposite that towards which the car is to be dumped when it is tilted side-wise. The two" end locks Which-will be described below are positioned on thedum'ping side,that is to say, the side towards which the car and'isupp'ortingframe are arranged to dump and they serve particularly to carry the weight of a car or locomotive which may move upon orpassover the dumper. g I T In the car supporting frame which is designated generallyby the letter C, preferably at either end of that'frame,1 is mounted a clamp or combined clamp and clamp carriage. These serve to clamp thecar on the car-supporting platform to prevent accidentalslipping or movement of-it and to center it on the platform. D'indicates the clamp carriagegenerally. It is provided at one end with a clamp member'D adapted to contact I I or engagethecar and; preferably the car coupler. 'D 'is a' t'rack mounted-Within a cavity D [D is a continuation of thetrack D It is mounted on the car supporting;

frame and servesto carry the clamp" and clamp carriage when the latter is in the raised or clamping position. D D are rollers posltioned on the clamp carnage and adapted to run-upon the tracks D D.

is put into operation and then through the linkage shown the nuts within the casing D are rotated and move the threaded shaft D? inwardly from the positionshown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 1. As they move inwardly, guided by the'tracks D D and D", the roller D comes in contact with the cam port-ion F and striking it, engages for a brief period and as the movement of the shaft 1) is continued, the roller D carries 7 the cam F along with it and so rotates the cam as a whole into the position shownin Figure 1 andin the dot and clash'line of Figure 3. As this takes place the rod F is of i course moved from the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 to the dot and dash position of Figure 3. The spring F is'under an initial compression which increases somewhat as the rod F is moved beyond the center of the shaft F. The compression in the spring, however, produces suilicient tension on the shaft F to hold the cam and of course the latch F either in the locked. or the unlocked position. -After the car has been tipped and it is desired to remove it from the platform, the driving mechanism D -is operated in a reverse directionaiid thusthe nuts engaging the shafts D are rotated in a reverse directionand the shafts are moved from the unlocked position shown in Figure A to the outer or locked position shown in Figure 3, and the clamp carriages move out which is also shown in fulllines in Figure 2.

Thus the movement of the clamping car riages automaticallyoperates the latch controlling mechanism so that as the clamps move into the car engaging position, they unlock the latches or withdraw them from engagement and as the clamping carriages move again to the disengaged position, they automatically move the latches to engage the fixed parts on the foundation and to hold the car supporting platform from further movement so that the car may be thereafter re moved without any danger of accidental movement or displacement of the supporting frame.

I claim:

1. The combination in a car tipping asseinblyof a car carrying membenmeans for clamping the car in position thereon, locking means for the car supporting means, said,

locking means adapted to be moved by the said clamps during a part only of the motion of said clamps. V s 2., The combination in a car tipping assembly of a car carrying member, means'for clamping the car in position thereon, looking means for the car supporting means,

said locking means adapted; to be moved by tl'iecla'mp's duringga part only of the motion of said'clainpswhereby'when the clamp mechanism latch is in. its engagingipositionand when the clampoperatingmechanismiis' in the operativej position, the Iatchis disengaged;

the inoperative position the I 3. In combination withz-agcar tipping as} v senibly; including means for supporting a car and for tipping the, same, longitudinally .aiid1'laterally,-a plurality of clamping members niou-ntedion the car-support, means for operating-them toi-cl'amp thecar in position thereon and locks i'n'ovableautomatically in response to a' parto'nly ofthe movement of such clamping meansto hold the car support a In combination in "ed position when the clamps arefldiseir' l',-aiicl%tof' free the c'ari'supp'ort after the car tippin g assem- I sop bly; acarsupport, clainl'is movably positioned f upon said 'su'pport means for moving'them into andout off engaging position, alocking mechanism adapted to prevent the movement of theycar support when engaged, an operat;

'ingflmechanism for said locking mechanism, ncluding aswinging' member, a parton said 7 clamps adapted-to contact said swinging membeiw operate" the lockingimechanism.

Incoinbination in a fc'ar tipping'assembly, :c'ar support, clamps movably posi tionecl upon's'aid sup'port,'-means formoving them into and out of-operat'ive position, lock ingfmeclianis'nisadapted to prevent the movel lleht o fthecar support when engaged, op-

bly, a movably mounted car support, clamps 1 movably positioned uponsaid support, means for'inovin'g them into and out of engaging position, alocking mechanism including a latch and adapted to prevent movement of the car support when said locking mechanism is engaged and an operating mechanism for said locking mechanism, said operating mechanism including a pivoted member mounted on the car support and connected to said latch, said member provided with a part adapted to be contacted and moved'by the clamp when'the latter moves into theclamp ing position. v I s s [7. Incombination in a car tipping assembly, a movably mounted car support, clamps movably positioned upon said support, means for moving them into and out of engaging position, a locking mechanism including a iii latch. ,and adapted to prevent movement of the car support whensaid locking mechanism is engaged andaan operating mechanism for said locking mechanism, said operating mechanism including, a pivoted member mounted on the car; support and connected to said latch, said member provided with a part adapted to;be contacted and moved by'the V clamp when the latter moves out of the clampm e' P s t on 7 a a -8. Incombinationin a car'tipping assembly, amovably mounted car support, clamps movably positioned upon said support, means for moving them intoand out of engaging position, a locking mechanism including a latch and adapted to prevent movement of the 'car s upport when said locking mechanism is engaged and an operating mecha-, nisin for saidlocking mechanism, said 0p 29 crating mechanism including a pivoted member mounted on the car support and connected to saidlatch, said member provided With a part adapted to be contacted and moved by the clamp when the latter moves into the clamping position, and meansfor retaining a the last mentioned operating mechanism .in Whicheverposition it may occupy until it is againcontacted by the-clamp. v

9. In combination in a car tipping assem-; 3o bly,-a movably mounted car support, clamps V movablypositioned upon said support, means for moving them into and out of engaging position, a locking mechanismincluding alatch and adapted to prevent movement'of 35 the car support When said locking mechanism is engaged and an operating mechanism for said locking mechanism, said operating mechanism including a pivoted ,member mounted on the car support and connected 40 to said latch, said member provided with a part adapted to be contacted and moved bythe clamp when the latterjmoves out of the clamping position, and means for retaining the last mentioned operating mech- Afj anism in whichever position itmay occupy until it is again contacted by the clamp.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 8th day of April, 1929.

, ELVVIN H. v KIDDER. 

